Start/Stop crown wheel?

Maybe it's was made for supporting pre announced speculating

It does seem deliberate, but I'd be surprised if anything is added to the Fenix 7 to support this. I think their goal was to have something working in the 7, but whatever prevented from making the release is a nonstarter. I think they'll get it working in the Fenix 8. Honestly, I think Garmin is just hanging around, looking for a buyer. New generation of watch, same host of problems.

What are we talking about here?

Knurled stop/start button from an epix 2. Assume it's similar.

But the scrolling with the button seems not easy, I can't imagine using it.

It's​actually charging battery with a small generator. Like winding old watch... you just need to rotate long and fast enough to generate enough electricity

Aaah, that's the reason why it's not easy to rotate it! Good to know that.

Well the idea was that you can pull it out, there are renders of the F7s showing it extended.

Do you have some link? I haven't seen that. That means, it's maybe prepared. But I'll be afraid of water proof. Maybe some disassembly video will make it clear.

https://www.mediamarkt.de/de/product/_garmin-fenix-7s-solar-smartwatch-edelstahl-silikon-108-182-mm-beigerosegold-2779498.html

Just the first I found showing it..
But its also on the Garmin website itself.

This defeats the whole purpose of the guard around it if that's the supposed standard position. Never seen the s model in real life though.